Effect of genotype and environment on grain quality of sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L. Moench) lines evaluated in Kenya

Grain sorghum (Sorghum bicolor) has a great potential for use as food and beverage in developing countries. However, information regarding the effect of the agro-ecological environments on the grain quality attributes of selected sorghum lines desirable for malting and brewing and for baking in Kenya, is lacking. The experiments of this study were conducted at different environmental locations in Kisumu, Siaya and Busia Counties of Kenya. Nine sorghum lines were sown in plots in Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) and replicated three times. Panicles from two central rows of each plot were harvested at physiological maturity to provide grains that were used for proximate analysis. The percentage crude protein, tannin and starch content were determined. The amount of starch varied with sorghum lines and growing environments, ranging between 29.7 and 80.2%. SDSAI × ICSR43 line recorded tannin content in the range of 8.00 to 24.33 mg/100 ml tannic acid equivalents. Crude protein content and starch ranged 8.9 to 15.4% and 29.7 to 80.2%, respectively across environments. The combined analysis showed that the growing environment variously affected the nutritional and anti-nutritional content of sorghum lines. This implies that breeders should consider stability of the quality parameters that define commercial utilization of these sorghum lines. Key words: Sorghum lines, lower midland zone (LM), starch, crude protein, tannins.